John McNeil Set Free
The former Kennesaw resident pleaded guilty to a lesser crime of manslaughter in connection with the Dec. 6, 2005, shooting of Brian Epp.
John Mc Neil
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Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Freedom for Kennesaw Man Convicted of Murder
Prosecutors agreed to a plea deal that will end John McNeil's years-long legal fight.
His case pending before the state's highest court, the same court that in 2008 upheld his murder conviction, former Kennesaw resident John McNeil today pleaded guilty to a lesser crime of manslaughter to end his years-long legal fight. McNeil was sentenced to seven years in prison and 13 years probation on the manslaughter charge, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was credited with seven years time served and was expected to be released immediately, according to the AJC. McNeil's plea was entered just days after his wife and staunchest supporter died. Even as she waged her own personal battle with breast cancer, Anita McNeil maintained that her hubsand was only guilty of trying to protect his family on Dec. 6, 2005, when he…
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Kennesaw Man's Legal Fight Could End
John McNeil, the man convicted in Kennesaw's so-called 2005 self-defense killing, is scheduled to go before a Cobb County Superior Court judge and plead to a lesser crime of manslaughter, a move that could allow him to leave state prison.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Kennesaw Man Convicted of Murder Could Be Released
Tuesday, John McNeil's years-long legal fight could come to an end.
After John McNeil was sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting a man at his Kennesaw home in 2005, supporters spent years fighting for his freedom. Tuesday, that years-long legal fight could come to an end, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. McNeil, whose wife died of breast cancer on Saturday, is scheduled to go before a Cobb County Superior Court judge and plead to a lesser crime of manslaughter, a move that could allow him to leave state prison as early as next week. McNeil is serving life in prison for aggravated assault and felony murder in the Dec. 6, 2005, shooting death of Brian Epp, the builder of his Kennesaw home. According to court documents, McNeil’s teenage son called to say that there was a strange man in…
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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
NAACP Remembers Former Kennesaw Resident As a 'Warrior'
Anita McNeil, the wife of John McNeil, died Saturday of breast cancer.
The nation's oldest civil rights organization Monday remembered Anita McNeil, the woman who spent years fighting for her husband's freedom after he was sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting a man at their Kennesaw home, as a woman of "boundless faith." McNeil died Saturday of breast cancer, and the NAACP on Monday afternoon issued the following statement. The national office of the NAACP was informed by the North Carolina NAACP State Conference that Anita McNeil, the wife of John McNeil and the biggest advocate for his freedom from an unjust murder sentence, passed away this Saturday. Anita McNeil was fighting her second bout with cancer. She had continued traveling and speaking out for her husband’s freedom even as she …
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Monday, February 4, 2013
Wife Who Fought Kennesaw Man's Murder Conviction Dies
Anita McNeil had breast cancer.
Anita McNeil, who spent years fighting for her husband's freedom after he was sentenced to life in prison for fatally shooting a man at their Kennesaw home, died Saturday of breast cancer. Her sister on Sunday confirmed her death to the Associated Press. John McNeil, Anita McNeil's husband, is serving life in prison for aggravated assault and felony murder in the Dec. 6, 2005, shooting death of Brian Epp, the builder of his Kennesaw home. Supporters, including Anita McNeil and the NAACP, said it was self-defense. Police said the same thing initially and cleared John McNeil of any charges. But nine months later, prosecutors charged him with murder, and a Cobb County jury convicted him and sentenced him to life in prison in 2006. The case …
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Friday, October 19, 2012
John McNeil's Wife, NAACP to Discuss Next Steps in Case
The NAACP has scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m. today in Virginia, site of the group's national board meeting.
Anita McNeil, the wife of a Kennesaw man convicted of killing an armed trespasser in 2005, is expected to join the NAACP this afternoon when leaders of the organization outline "next steps to secure" her husband's release. The nation's oldest civil rights organization made the announcement Thursday, one day after Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens said he would ask the state's highest court to reject a ruling that could have freed John McNeil. McNeil is serving life in prison for aggravated assault and felony murder in the Dec. 6, 2005, shooting death of Brian Epp. Olens had 30 days from the date of Baldwin County Superior Court Judge Hulane E. George's Sept. 25 ruling to respond. If Olens had done nothing, McNeil could have been retried …
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Thursday, October 18, 2012
Kennesaw 'Self-Defense' Killing Heads Back to Supreme Court
Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens Wednesday filed a notice of appeal in Baldwin County in the case of John McNeil.
Attorney General Appeals Ruling in Kennesaw 'Self-Defense' Killing
The NAACP, which has supported the release of John McNeil, will hold a press conference Friday at its national board meeting in Arlington, Va.
Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens will ask the state's highest court to reject a ruling that could have freed a Kennesaw man convicted of killing an armed trespasser in 2005. Despite pleas from the nation's oldest civil rights organization not to do so, Olens Wednesday filed a notice of appeal in Baldwin County. A judge there ruled last month that John McNeil received "ineffective" counsel during his trial and suffered prejudice because jurors were not informed that they could acquit him "based on his justified defense of his son." Olens had 30 days from the date of Judge Hulane E. George's Sept. 25 ruling to respond. If Olens had done nothing, McNeil could have been retried or released. McNeil, who is black, is serving life in prison for…
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flyday611
8:04 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens fighting to keep Prison profit up by an unjust appeal in Baldwin County, Why it is Olsens's actions are wrong: a) McNeil's a warning shot should have been sufficient for his son's assailant to change his behavior immediately. b) it did not properly inform the jury of its option to acquit. c) McNeil was on his property when the assailant was shot fatally d) a … more ›
Monday, October 1, 2012
NAACP to Olens: Don't Appeal Ruling in Kennesaw 'Self-Defense' Killing
A Georgia Superior Court judge recently issued a ruling that could free John McNeil.
Supporters of a Kennesaw man convicted of killing an armed trespasser in 2005 are claiming a small victory after a Georgia Superior Court judge recently issued a ruling that could free the man. Baldwin County Judge Hulane E. George found that John McNeil received "ineffective" counsel during his trial and suffered prejudice because jurors were not informed that they could acquit him "based on his justified defense of his son," according to a final habeus corpus order signed on Sept. 25. Now leaders of the nation's oldest civil rights organization are hoping that Georgia's attorney general won't appeal the latest ruling in the case of McNeil, who is serving life in prison for aggravated assault and felony murder in the shooting death of …
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Dan
9:07 am on Tuesday, October 2, 2012
This is the first I have heard of this. Has anyone set up a foundation for Mr. McNeil? I am a gun owner and a believer in the 2nd Amendment. Who is the NRA rep for that area? Any 2nd Amendment foundation members? This is truly a travesty. I don't care about shooting a warning shot or anything else. The dead man trespassed on another man's property. Bet he won't do it again... more ›
chin
8:28 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
Wow! Mcneil must know that God has a calling on his life. This wasn't just something out the ordinary, God has plans for him and I hope he's not a Eli and hears Gods calling to do his will. more ›